So sad.....

CACTUSWENDY · Jan 31, 2009

VENT...... :Soapbox:

A 7 year old left a library book on the table today and I picked it up. Was a book about a Mr. Underpants, by Dav Pilkey. (If he is a memeber here, I am sorry for my thoughts, but this has bothered me all day.)

If this is what the young folks are reading with the blessings of the schools then it is no wonder we have such dumb-downed children.

This is a series put out by Scolastic Inc. The credits claim there are over 25 million sold around the world.

Between the low grade spelling and the really dumb story lines...(if they can be called story lines....) there seems to be no reason for the waste of paper to even print this stuff. Some of it is done in comic book style and some as a story book.

I am amazed that people spend money on this. Don't parents read or review what their kids read? I would never have bought this for my kids. By it being in a school library is even more amazing.

WWW.pilkey.com is the writer's site. I do hope that kids are getting better books then this stuff.

My question.... as a writer of kids books do you feel it is important to write better quality books? Does the bottom line come down to the $$$?

Ciera_ · Jan 31, 2009

I read some of the books and found them pretty damn entertaining, at the same age as when I read books like Harry Potter. I do see your point. Thank God I was able to identify that the spelling/grammar was atrocious and the storylines were ridiculous. But it was entertaining.

Clair Dickson · Jan 31, 2009

Then again-- would you rather then not read books at all? I'd prefer they read something rather than just watch TV. If they find books that they like, tehn they may continue to read, maybe even explore new books. Many of the kids who didn't read before Harry Potter have continued to read because they found something that they liked. (Much school reading isn't that enjoyable and often turns kids off to readers, especially if they are slow. They come to think that all books are like school books, which they don't like.)

But this is the same teacher who reads The Big Sleep and Double Indemnity to her kids. =)

Not everything has to have value beyond entertainment. IMHO.

Quossum · Jan 31, 2009

Hey, they're reading Twilight, too, you know, and thinking of it as high literature.

I think the Captain Underpants books are silly, but then, they're being enjoyed by people who are entertained by farts. It's just the age. At least they're reading something, and like Clair says, they just might keep on reading once they realize that books CAN be fun. Progress from Underpants to Diary of a Wimpy Kid, which is a lot better, and from there, who knows? Don't worry too much.

--Q

Kitty Pryde · Feb 1, 2009

I don't think the Captain Underpants books are sad, nor do I think it's sad for little boys to read them. First of all, little boys are fixated on toilet humor and superheroes. TV and videogames these days are full of off-color humor and written for people with an extremely short attention span. Bad spelling? Meh. The books, I believe, are supposed to be in the form of comic books written by two little boys. Junie B. Jones misspells things too, and cranky parents want to ban her books.

So what's wrong with getting kids to love reading by appealing to them with things they care about? If you do some quick searching online you will find zillions of parents who say that Captain Underpants gave their kid a love of reading. But parents want his books banned ALL THE TIME. If a book about a silly superhero with a penchant for poop jokes makes a kid like reading enough that he turns into a person who buys our books, how is that in any way a bad thing?

nevada · Feb 1, 2009

i love captain underpants. the puns are horrific and fantastic. silly rabbi, tricks are for kids, is one that i remember.

it's a starting point, not an endgame. reading captain underpants leads to reading other things. you cant shove tolkien and a dictionary at them. kids like sick things. nothing is greater to a 7 yr old boy than a fart joke. (or to a 27 yr old boy, for that matter, they never outgrow that, do they?)

and what kitty said. lol

Jersey Chick · Feb 1, 2009

While I haven't read them, my daughter's devoured them and has since moved on to Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, and a lot of other children's authors. Maybe they are like junk food, but they got her to read and I won't complain about that. If this guy is getting kids to read, he's doing something right.

Ciera_ · Feb 1, 2009

Also, they're great social commentary.
Really. They illustrate in a bleak and of course over-exaggerated way some of the faults of the school system and society in general. If I remember correctly. =)

Bufty · Feb 1, 2009

And if the kids progress to read our books we should say, "Thank you, Captain Underpants."

SheilaJG · Feb 1, 2009

I used to get upset that my daughter was so obsessed with the Clique books. They are shallow, poorly written, and the plots are ridiculous. But they are teen girl fantasy and I learned to back off and let her have her fun. After all, not everything I read is high-brow.

Captain Underpants taught my boys that books can be fun. My oldest hated reading, but he devoured these. Then he went on to read Ricky Ricotta, Franny K. Stein, etc. Now he's twelve and he an avid reader.

MsJudy · Feb 1, 2009

The American Federation of Teachers had a debate about these books a few months back. The grown-ups just keep worrying about it...and the kids just keep reading them. They also read Goosebumps. At least Underpants is funny...

Kids have just as much right to read junk as grownups do. And yes, believe me, once they've read all of the Underpants books, they do go on to read better things. I've taught at-risk kids for 20 years. Dav Pilkey is a hero, in my opinion.

Rachel G · Feb 1, 2009

Lurker here. I'm with JudScotKev.

Earlier today I was doing some reading and came across an article from Horn Book Magazine, discussing the attempts to ban The Wizard of Oz as unsuitable for children. (I'm not trying to accuse you of being for censorship or banning books, Wendy, just thought the following quote was relevant):

"There is always that contrast between the 'best' as intelligent adults see it, and the best seller," noted Louise Seaman Bechtel in Books in Search of Children (1955). She, like many within the powerful juvenile literary sisterhood, was suspicious of "a great tendency today to let what is most popular prevail, to let choice of books to buy depend on what children say they like best, or vote for as their favorites." [...] The curse on Oz spread beyond the libraries. Russell Baker recounted in Crowing Up (1982) how his Uncle Charlie caught him one day engrossed in reading The Land of Oz. "For God's sake, Russell," he said, "you've got a good mind and you're destroying it reading that trash. Here ... read something worthwhile." He thrust The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin on him, but it was so boring that the boy tossed it aside when his uncle departed.

Hearn, Michael Patrick. "Toto, I've a Feeling We're Not in Kansas City Anymore...or Detroit...or Washington DC!." Horn Book Magazine 77.1 (Jan. 2001): 16-34.

Just some points there that I think we should keep in mind. Fostering a love of reading is more important than fussing over what kids want to read, in my opinion.

Stlight · Feb 1, 2009

Let them read what they will read, usuall exceptions (porn etc), because there has to be a beginning. It's particularly hard for the dsylex (sp) to get started. Some kids read adult books when they are 7, some need something easier, some want pictures in them to understand the story. My sister enjoyed pictures long after she read with ease, but she became an artist.

There's nothing wrong with humor. Many little boys are embarrassed to read so it has to be something 'cool'. Reading a cereal box isn't a bad thing either.

samcollie · Feb 3, 2009

A few years ago I was chatting with a very respected elementary school teacher in my town. We were talking about trends in kids books, and the Junie B Jones and Captain Underpants books came up. She said she personally didn't care for the books, but she keeps them in her classroom. When she sees a child who used to be a struggling or disinterested reader sitting and reading one of those books, she silently thanks the author. Though she didn't care too much for the style, the fact that someone reached these kids meant a great deal to her.

zeppelin123 · Feb 3, 2009

I believe these books have their place (for children who have reading difficulties). However, I think some of the reason kids aren't reading is that literature has been dumbed down too much and is therefore boring for them to read. I think there needs to be more books like Harry Potter that challenge kids and make their minds rise to the occasion.

MsJudy · Feb 3, 2009

zeppelin123 said:
However, I think some of the reason kids aren't reading is that literature has been dumbed down too much and is therefore boring for them to read. I think there needs to be more books like Harry Potter that challenge kids and make their minds rise to the occasion.

Oh, as a teacher I have to very respectfully but very vehemently disagree. When I was a kid (thirty+ years ago), I was the one and only kid I knew who enjoyed reading. I was, frankly, a Grade A Freak because I carried a book in my backpack.

Times have changed, and for the better. Kids today talk about books. Even the boys. They read, and they recommend, and they trade the stories they love. They care passionately about things like how the DESPEREAUX movie didn't follow the book at all. They even compete to see who has read the most books. Both of my sons read in bed every night, and I never have to nag them. They do it because there are so many great, exciting, adventurous novels out there now, they don't have time to read them all. And they don't flinch at 600 pages, either.

Captain Underpants is just one player in a very vibrant and thriving marketplace. Both my sons read them, loved them, and moved on from them.

Danalynn · Feb 11, 2009

My kids always liked the Captain Underpants books, too. The Hairy Potty line was always my favorite. LOL!

These books are meant to have bad spelling and grammar, they are supposed to be told by seven year old boys. What seven year old boy do you know that has GOOD spelling and grammar? :roll:

ANY books that peak a kid's interest and makes them WANT to read is a good book, no matter how many pairs of underpants are in it.

Cale · Feb 11, 2009

At least they are reading! that has got to be a good thing.
i have nothing wrong with captain underpants. it gets kids who think that reading is boring and makes them enjoy reading!
and yes, when i was a kid i read them! they were funny!

SassyB · Feb 12, 2009

I agree with many of the sentiments here - if it gets kids reading and they enjoy it, it can only be considered a good thing.

Lauri B · Feb 12, 2009

It's the same reaction lots of people have to the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series. they are silly and funny and marry lots of graphics with simple text. It's developmentally appropriate for kids to love those books and they really are funny. I'm all for any book that kids enjoy. Reading is reading.

KTC · Feb 12, 2009

I can only speak from my own Captain Underpants experience. My son ripped through Pilkey's books when he was 6 and 7 years old. He absolutely LOVED them. I thought they were wonderfully on target to the audience they were targeting. I don't see any reason to attack them. They made my son a reader in the same way that Roald Dahl made me a reader. He has every last title and I GLADLY paid for them all. They enchanted him. Silly is a little boy's dream and mindset. I think you may be looking at the books through the eyes of an adult who does not remember abandon. Also...BOYS love the humor that Pilkey so wonderfully acheives. His world is the world of the 5-10 year old boy. LIKE IT OR NOT.

KTC · Feb 12, 2009

nevada said:
i love captain underpants. the puns are horrific and fantastic. silly rabbi, tricks are for kids, is one that i remember.

it's a starting point, not an endgame. reading captain underpants leads to reading other things. you cant shove tolkien and a dictionary at them. kids like sick things. nothing is greater to a 7 yr old boy than a fart joke. (or to a 27 yr old boy, for that matter, they never outgrow that, do they?)

and what kitty said. lol

bingo. I too loved the puns and witticisms. They are great books that begin the reading dialogue for the young boy. My son is 13 now and still talks about his love for these books. Just as I still talk of my love for Dahl books.

CACTUSWENDY · Feb 12, 2009

Well, I guess my old age and what I was reading as a 7 year old girl must be pretty lame then. (The Golden Books)

I am glad it is helping kids to learn to love reading. Thank you all for opening my eyes. (Am so glad I have no young ones anymore....lol)

(Is like the bull with utters on one of the cartoon shows....sigh. I guess the wee ones will realize one day that male cattle do not have utters....lol)

KTC · Feb 12, 2009

CACTUSWENDY said:
Well, I guess my old age and what I was reading as a 7 year old girl must be pretty lame then. (The Golden Books)

I am glad it is helping kids to learn to love reading. Thank you all for opening my eyes. (Am so glad I have no youngs anymore....lol)

(Is like the bull with utters on one of the cartoon shows....sigh. I guess the wee ones will realize one day that male cattle do not have utters....lol)

yes, but boys will always love farts and the word underpants. These books appeal to that dark little underworld of the underarm farters everywhere.

Aesposito · Feb 12, 2009

CACTUSWENDY said:
Between the low grade spelling and the really dumb story lines...(if they can be called story lines....) there seems to be no reason for the waste of paper to even print this stuff. Some of it is done in comic book style and some as a story book.

My son was severely hyperactive when he was younger and normally could not sit still to read for more than a minute. For a time, we weren't even sure he COULD read.

Yet he chewed through the Underpants books like crazy. I was so thrilled he was reading, I couldn't have cared less about the low grade spelling and really dumb story lines.

Now that he's older, he explained to me that he recognized the boys in the books were rather similar to him... hyper and always in trouble. That, I think, was the main appeal to him.

Audrey

So sad.....

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

Ciera_

Clair Dickson

A dark core to every cloud

Quossum

Kitty Pryde

i luv you giant bear statue

nevada

Jersey Chick

Up all night to get Loki

Ciera_

Bufty

Where have the last ten years gone?

SheilaJG

MsJudy

Rachel G

Stlight

ideas are floating where they will

samcollie

zeppelin123

MsJudy

Danalynn

NEVER give up!!!!

Cale

SassyB

Lauri B

I Heart Mac

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

CACTUSWENDY

An old, sappy, and happy one.

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

Aesposito